Swampscott's Baker intends to showcase personality in governor's race

Thursday

Sep 5, 2013 at 12:01 AMSep 5, 2013 at 5:20 AM

Newly declared Republican candidate for governor Charlie Baker says he isn’t afraid to get personal this time around. Inviting the press to his Monument Avenue home in Swampscott on Thursday, Sept. 5, Baker and his wife, Lauren, spoke about the goals and ideas behind his 2014 run for governor of Massachusetts.

Katrina Powell/swampscott@wickedlocal.com

Newly declared Republican candidate for governor Charlie Baker says he isn’t afraid to get personal this time around. Inviting the press to his Monument Avenue home in Swampscott on Thursday, Sept. 5, Baker and his wife, Lauren, spoke about the goals and ideas behind his 2014 run for governor of Massachusetts.

Baker was the GOP’s 2010 nominee for governor, but was defeated by incumbent Gov. Deval Patrick. During his last campaign, he made it a point to leave his personal life out of the political ring. On Thursday, Baker said it was a move that hid his true personality from the voters.

“After the last race was over, one of the things we both heard … was, ‘That sunny, positive, let’s go get ’em Charlie Baker that we all know, we didn’t see him in the campaign…’ People just never got to see that goofy, family guy,” Baker said. “If nothing else, when this is all over, we do not want the people we know best to say they never saw the real Charlie Baker.”

Baker added his decision to throw his name into the race for a second time was not a decision he made alone.

“[Lauren and I] talked about this a lot and ultimately decided that this was a race that meant something to us,” Baker said.

“It’s a big commitment,” Lauren said. “But the thing I kept coming back to was the fact that it is an amazing experience to be a part of a campaign … the lessons you come away with are the kinds of lessons you cannot teach.”

Three areas

Throughout the press conference, Baker repeatedly noted the three areas he intends to focus his attention on if elected in 2014: jobs, education and the relationship between state and local government.

“We are a great state, but we can be better,” Baker said. “That means focusing on those three major issues.”

In his campaign announcement Wednesday — a video posted on his website and emailed to supporters — Baker elaborated on that idea.

“We are all concerned about our future and I’m determined to do what I can to make Massachusetts prosperous with a quality of life that is second to none. I want a growing economy where every person who wants to work, can; great schools that ensure opportunity for every single child; vibrant economies for our cities and towns and communities and neighborhoods that are safe.”

The 56-year-old Swampscott Republican is the first to enter the 2014 gubernatorial contest on the GOP side. While there’s time for other candidates to get in, he could have a clear path to the nomination after former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown announced last month he would not run for governor.

Big Dig connection

A major issue in Baker’s 2010 campaign involved relentless attacks made by Patrick supporters surrounding Baker’s role in the Big Dig financing plan. And some Democrats have already made it clear that finger pointing isn’t going to end anytime soon.

Repeating attacks launched during the 2010 campaign, Democratic Party Chairman John Walsh told the State House News Service he blamed Baker for the Big Dig financing plan, calling it “fiscal shell games” that Massachusetts residents are still paying for today.

On Thursday, Baker said is going to focus on the future of Massachusetts, not critiquing what’s been done in the past.

“If the Democrats want to blame me for everything that’s gone wrong in the 30-year life of the Big Dig, I certainly hope they’re going to give me credit for everything that has gone right,” said Baker, who served as health and human services secretary under former Republican Gov. William Weld and secretary of administration and finance under both Weld and the late Gov. Paul Cellucci.

Baker did make mention of some areas where he feels the commonwealth is seriously struggling, calling the cost of healthcare one of the biggest problems. He also noted that he plans to be “very aggressive about reform,” and will not sign a no-new-taxes pledge like he did in 2010.

“I’m a reform before revenue guy,” Baker said. “I’m running for governor, not emperor. Any changes are going to be discussed at length.”

But Baker’s main goal at this point is getting Massachusetts voters to see “the Charlie” those close to him know.

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